1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to shower curtain accessories and more particularly, shower curtain accessories to prevent water escapage from the shower or bath enclosure.
2. Description of Related Art
The age old problem of water escaping while one is taking a shower is one that never seems to find adequate resolution. Even a cursory exploration of the prior art reveals a surprisingly large number of granted and filed patent applications and marketed products seeking to solve this problem in a simple and cost effective manner. The prior art ranges from small, easy to install plastic adhesive clips to elaborate productions with springs, poles and brackets. Yet none of the prior art eliminates the water escapage in a manner free from additional disadvantages or in a manner such as the one described herein.
A device is needed to effectively contain water inside a shower yet be inexpensive, easy to use, small, able to accommodate any type of bathtub or shower wall surface and easy to clean. One of the simpler products are magnetic disks designed to be placed on the shower curtain and adhere to the bath tub wall. These do an adequate job of keeping the shower curtain somewhat immobilized in the interior of the bathtub, but present shortcomings such as their ineffectiveness with plastic or fiberglass shower enclosures. The magnetic disks also do not work well on the sides of the shower curtain, but rather are typically designed to adhere only along the bottom. The magnets have a tendency to “grab” onto the tub or shower wall where not intended and require shifting by the user. Last, the disks tend to bunch the shower curtain together at the bottom.
Several other fairly simplistic shower curtain products have emerged, however the vast majority require that a component of the product be affixed to the shower wall. This presents numerous disadvantages due to the necessity to properly clean the wall with alcohol first and carefully mount the component. It also means the component, if affixed with adhesive, may ultimately lose its powers of adhesion and fall off, especially when exposed to the high humidity levels of a shower environment.
Small plastic suction cups were another attempt to keep the shower curtain adhered to the wall, but present their own set of problems. The suction cups do not always work properly, especially if the wall becomes coated with any scum or soap residue. The cups themselves easily become a vehicle for soap scum and mold, requiring tedious cleaning.
A need persists for a simple, small, inexpensive, effective method and apparatus for keeping shower water from escaping onto the floor.